InstantHedge introduces ready-to-plant hedges

53 miles of hedges are nursed, irrigated, trimmed and undercut daily in Canby, Oregon

Brent Markus, owner of Rare Tree Nursery in Silverton, Oregon, has introduced a new line of conveniently packaged, pre-formed hedges under the brand name InstantHedge. The new line has been in the works since 2014, after Markus was inspired by a visit to QuickHedge farm in the Netherlands. Markus then planted rows of evergreens and deciduous trees on more than 80 acres of land in Canby, Oregon. The resulting hedges are now ready for sale and shipment this spring.

According to Markus, the product gives landscaping professionals a quick solution for planting five-years-mature privacy hedges in a short period. Because of the mobile nature of the package design, 20 hedge units can be planted in an hour if using an excavator, and nearly 500 feet of trees can be planted in an average workday.

On the farm, some 53 lineal miles of hedges are nursed, irrigated, trimmed and undercut using precision-agriculture production technology. Tractor-mounted GPS technology allows workers to prune hedge crops within ½-inch accuracy, tending to two rows at a time. Each hedge is pruned 3-4 times a year to create a thick wall of foliage.

At the time of harvest, the trees are harvested using a u-form blade to ensure 90 percent of all the root system remains intact. Hedges are placed in one of InstantHedge’s unit containers: a system of four trees in a 40 inch long and 16-inch deep biodegradable cardboard box. End users can plant the entire unit — box and all — in the designated location. Tree roots will grow through the cardboard about a month after planting.

13 tree varieties are available in heights ranging between 3 to 6 feet tall.